1. Field
This invention relates to image processing.
2. Description of Related Art
Banking and other industries are undergoing a revolution in processing traditionally paper and other hard copy documents. For example, the capture of images of various transactional documents in the banking industry provides banking institutions with an opportunity to streamline business processes and improve efficiencies. In addition, the ability to view images of these captured documents offers a valuable service to all end-users, including bank institution customers and bank institution personnel. For example, access to images is useful for fraud prevention and integration into business workflows.
In many financial institutions, electronic images and other associated image information of a large number of documents, especially checks, have been created. This image information is available for electronic access and capable of being transmitted and processed by electronic means such as computers. However, in many cases, disparate image information repositories and associated systems have been provided for maintaining such image information. These disparate systems are not integrated, and cannot be accessed by a variety of means. The result is that obtaining access to image information can often be, among other things, difficult, labor-intensive, time-consuming and error-prone. For example, the various systems are often incompatible and require specialized software for access to the image information. Further, determining in which one or more repositories desired image information is located can involve labor-intensive and time-consuming searching.
Accordingly, there is a need for flexible and scalable support of a wide variety of applications to access image information using, for example, components that are well-known and proven technologies. Further, there is a need for image processing systems that offer rapid access, scalability, and reliability. Further, there is a need to integrate various disparate systems and databases, and allow access thereto by a variety of means and devices. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide improved image information processing methods and systems.